Oral Answers to Questions

Jess Brown-Fuller Excerpts

Wednesday 9th July 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

The Conservative party failed to give children the support they need. The 10-year plan that we have put forward will rewire our NHS and transform mental health services, with 85 dedicated mental health A&E departments, giving 24/7 support; specialist mental health professionals in every school and college, benefiting 1 million young people this year alone; and an extra 8,500 mental health staff to tackle long waits. That is only possible because of the decisions that we took to invest in our NHS—decisions that the Conservatives opposed.

[Jess Brown-Fuller (Chichester) (LD)]

Q10.  I will add to the many calls that the Prime Minister has already heard about the broken SEND system. I met headteachers and SEND co-ordinators in my constituency of Chichester last week. They all told me the same thing: the SEND system is broken. It is adversarial, parents are at breaking point, there are not enough spaces in specialist schools, and the education, health and care plan process is long, harrowing and often degrading. I know that the Government are exploring their options, but will the Prime Minister take on board the Liberal Democrats’ calls to introduce a national body for SEND, so that we can end the postcode lottery and fix the problem for good?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank the hon. Lady for raising this issue. I know it is of concern to her, and to many people across the House. The system we have is broken; it does not serve anyone well. We have to reform it, and I set out in an earlier answer the steps that we are taking. We will share those with the House, and I hope that we can get the greatest support possible for the reform that I think everybody here knows has to happen.

Oral Answers to Questions

Jess Brown-Fuller Excerpts

Wednesday 4th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

What my hon. Friend describes is how health services in Scotland are utterly broken under the SNP, whether it is people waiting too long for mental health support in his constituency, or the Wishaw neonatal unit in Hamilton, which the SNP is threatening to downgrade. In 2021, the SNP Government said they would recruit 1,000 more community mental health workers. They utterly failed to do so. If they had a plan to fix Scotland’s NHS, they would have done it by now. Scotland needs a change of direction.

[Jess Brown-Fuller (Chichester) (LD)]

Q6.  Sir Jon Cunliffe’s interim report, published yesterday, laid out the fundamental changes needed for our water sector. That is felt no more acutely than in my constituency of Chichester. We have a harbour that is in an unfavourable, declining condition and sewage is blighting our tourism industry. With water bills from Southern Water rising by 47% for my constituents, can the Prime Minister tell them when they can expect to see the real change that this Government promised and our waterways cleaned up for good?

[The Prime Minister]

I share the hon. Member’s anger and frustration at the broken water system that we inherited, with frankly appalling sewage, higher bills and executives paying themselves huge bonuses. The era of being rewarded for failure is over. We have launched a record 81 criminal investigations into lawbreaking water companies in England, and we have introduced the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025, with prison sentences for polluting bosses and the banning of unfair bonuses. We will respond to the independent water commission in full following the publication of the final report.

Oral Answers to Questions

Jess Brown-Fuller Excerpts

Wednesday 30th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Martin McCluskey]

My hon. Friend has been a champion for the defence sector in his constituency since his election, and I commend him for that work. I agree that it is essential that any Government engage with the defence sector, not just because of the jobs created across Scotland, but because of the vital technology that the sector is developing. There is a real opportunity to create and retain skilled work in Scotland, and all of us have a responsibility to promote that as much as possible. I am happy to reassure my hon. Friend that the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Government will continue to champion the defence and manufacturing sectors in Scotland.

[Jess Brown-Fuller (Chichester) (LD)]

5. What recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on funding for the arts in Scotland.

[Martin McCluskey (Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West) (Lab)]

The Scotland Office is committed to championing Scottish arts, and regularly showcases the sector’s significant cultural and economic contributions to UK and Scottish Government Ministers. In the Budget later today, the Chancellor will set out her spending decisions, and those will allow the Scottish Government to make their own spending decisions on devolved matters, including arts funding.

[Jess Brown-Fuller]

I was glad to hear the Secretary of State celebrate events in Scotland in his opening remarks. Scotland, and the UK in general, boasts one of the world’s leading arts industries, and we have the notable Edinburgh Fringe festival, but it faces funding pressures due to Government cuts and increased Brexit red tape, which complicates travel to Europe. British artists are being shut out of European markets, which hinders their ambitions and success. What steps is the Minister taking with other Departments to ensure that a thriving arts sector is unimpeded by Brexit red tape?

[Martin McCluskey]

The hon. Lady has a background in performing arts, and brings her experience to this House. I agree with her: Scottish artists are world-renowned, and it is important to them and to promoting Scottish culture around the world that they can perform internationally. We are supporting Scottish artists, and continue to work to help our musicians tour, including through the Government’s successful music export growth scheme, the international showcase fund, and the Department for Business and Trade’s internationalisation fund. We are engaging across Government with the EU and member states on how best to improve arrangements for touring in Europe without a return to free movement.